Scottish Executive

Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc (Scotland) Act 2000, what steps are being taken to publicly advertise the process of extinction of feu duties under section 7 and the requirement of a compensatory payment under section 8.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000 will not be fully commenced until the closely related and complementary Title Conditions (Scotland) Bill has been enacted. It is intended that both pieces of legislation will be commenced at the same time and the Executive will fully publicise their meaning and effect before they come into force. The commencement order for the 2000 Act will be made six months before coming into effect and that would appear to be the appropriate time to advertise the provisions on the final extinction of feu duties.

Apprenticeships

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider measures to enable a wider age-range of young people to take up Modern Apprenticeships.

Ms Wendy Alexander: We are abolishing the upper age limit for Modern Apprenticeships to match people of all ages to the job opportunities available.

Care of the Elderly

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its summary of the National Nutritional Audit of Elderly Individuals in Care dated August 2000, when it was presented with the original findings by the Clinical Resource and Audit Group.

Susan Deacon: A draft of the report of the National Nutritional Audit was received by the Clinical Resource and Audit Group (CRAG) on 27 April 2000 and, in line with normal procedures for submission of a final report for a CRAG-funded project, was circulated for peer review during the first week of May.

  The final draft of the report was received by CRAG in August following feedback to the authors from the peer reviewers. The report was published on 18 December 2000.

Dentists

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional staff and how much additional funding will be needed to provide the 250 hours of postgraduate dental education for all practitioners over a five-year re-certification cycle announced by the General Dental Council.

Susan Deacon: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the personal responsibility of the dental practitioner as a professional. The Scottish Executive already makes a significant contribution to postgraduate dental education via the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (SCPMDE) by means of the provision of courses. Because of this, recent Scottish survey figures estimate that 72% of General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) and 85% of Community Dental Service (CDS) dentists have already achieved the General Dental Council’s (GDC) recommended level of verifiable CPD. Discussions are continuing with the dental profession regarding the future levels of remuneration and expenses for CPD.

Education

Iain Smith (North-East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is with regard to pay levels for academic staff in higher education institutions and when this was last reviewed.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Pay is a matter for employers and the representatives of employees in the higher education sector.

  In my guidance letter of 23 November to SHEFC, I emphasised the need for the sector to improve human resource policies and management, recognising that staff are our key resource, and I also expect that the sector will take account of the need to recruit, motivate and retain staff, as well as affordability, in reaching decisions on pay.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why Scotland did not participate in the 1999 Third International Mathematics and Science Study Repeat as a follow-up to the participation by the Scottish Office in the original 1995 study.

Mr Jack McConnell: Revised national advice on the teaching of mathematics and science was issued in 1997 and 1999 respectively, and in 1999 it was agreed that the Third International Mathematics and Science Study Repeat was too early for the national advice to have taken effect.

  Scotland is participating in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment which is assessing the reading, mathematics and science performance of 15-year-olds in 2000, 2003 and 2006. Participation in the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study which will assess the attainment of nine- and 13-year-olds in mathematics and science in 2003 is under consideration, and I will report to Parliament the outcome of that consideration.

Employment

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many inward investment manufacturing jobs were lost in (a) Scotland, (b) Argyll and Bute, (c) the Highlands and Islands, (d) Moray, (e) Orkney, (f) Shetland and (g) the Western Isles in each of the last five years.

Ms Wendy Alexander: : Records of manufacturing jobs created by inward investors which have been lost over a five-year period are not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  The figures for parts (a) to (g) are presented in the table:

  

 

Argyll & Bute


Highlands & Islands


Moray


Orkney


Shetland


Western Isles




1996


0


0


0


0


0


0




1997


0


86


0


0


0


0




1998


100


60


0


0


0


0




1999


0


3,300


0


0


0


0




2000


6


0


0


0


0


0




  The contraction of the Barmac fabrication yards at Nigg and Ardersier has resulted in significant job losses over the last 18 months. Such job losses have been addressed through a specialist job placement programme with only very limited numbers registering as unemployed.

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise is very active in seeking to attract businesses to its area and works closely with Locate in Scotland in the overseas aspects of these efforts.

Enterprise

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take any measures to increase the available means of scrutiny of the Enterprise Network and, if so, what these measures will be.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Enterprise Networks are subject to regular and full Policy and Financial Management Review by my department. Management Statements provide the financial, managerial and operational framework for the networks and annual Operating Plans provide the main focus for operational scrutiny. Both are published and are publicly available. The annual accounts of both Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise are published, laid before Parliament and are publicly available. The networks have also been subject to scrutiny by the Scottish Affairs Committee, the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the National Audit Office and now by Audit Scotland.

  The Strategy for Enterprise, A Smart Successful Scotland, published on 30 January 2001 will result in a more strategic relationship between the Executive and the networks. The Executive will set the broad direction, work with the networks on policy development, monitoring and evaluation and the networks themselves will take responsibility for implementation. A new Joint Performance Team (comprising of the Executive and the Enterprise Networks with other external support) will review performance and set challenging targets for the networks. This will enable performance to be judged against the key challenges identified by the Executive of raising productivity, encouraging entrepreneurship, raising skill levels and connecting Scotland globally.

Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what penalties will be incurred by Motorola if it fails to fulfil any agreements it has with the Scottish Executive regarding the former Hyundai plant near Dunfermline.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives were offered to Motorola, and of what value, when it purchased the former Hyundai plant near Dunfermline in April 2000.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Motorola is obliged to inform it of any changes in plans for the former Hyundai site near Dunfermline.

Ms Wendy Alexander: As was indicated when the project was announced, an appropriate package of financial assistance was offered to Motorola with regard to implementing its proposed project at Dunfermline.

  As the assistance is drawn down, in line with the implementation of the project, the amounts paid will be reported in accordance with the usual procedures of Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Executive.

  As with all such packages of assistance, actual drawdown of grant is dependent on the company meeting milestones based on investment expenditure and number of jobs created or safeguarded. In addition, all grant payments are subject to appropriate clawback conditions.

  Under the terms of the financial assistance being offered for the project, Motorola is required to inform Scottish Enterprise of progress with, and any major changes to, the proposed project.

Europe

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have attended formal and informal meetings of the EU Council of Ministers since 1 July 1999, specifying the date and subject of each of these meetings.

Mr Jack McConnell: The information is given in the table:

  Scottish Minister’s Attendance at Council

  1 July 1999 – 8 March 2001

  



Year


Date


Council


Minister




1999


24-25 September


Informal meeting of Ministers of Education


Sam Galbraith



 

26 October


Fisheries Council (Luxembourg)


John Home Robertson



 

22 November


Fisheries Council (Brussels)


John Home Robertson



 

13 December


Environment Council (Brussels)


Sarah Boyack



 

14 December


Agriculture Council (Brussels)


Ross Finnie



 

16 December


Fisheries Council (Brussels)


John Home Robertson




2000


17-18 March


Informal Council for Ministers of Lifelong Learning (Portugal)


Nicol Stephen



 

20 March


Agriculture Council (Brussels)


Ross Finnie



 

8 June


Education Council (Luxembourg)


Nicol Stephen



 

16 June


Fisheries Council (Luxembourg)


John Home Robertson



 

22 June


Environment Council (Brussels)


Sarah Boyack



 

17 November


Fisheries Council (Brussels)


Rhona Brankin



 

20 November


Agriculture Council (Brussels)


Ross Finnie



 

30 November


Justice and Home Affairs Council (Brussels)


Jim Wallace



 

14-15 December


Fisheries Council (Brussels)


Rhona Brankin




2001


12 February


Education and Youth Council (Brussels)


Nicol Stephen



 

26 February


Agriculture Council


Ross Finnie



 

8 March


Environment Council


Sam Galbraith

Ferry Services

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the European Union requesting that the planned review of guidelines on state aid be brought forward in order that it can take account of these revised guidelines in formulating its policy on the Scottish ferry network.

Sarah Boyack: No. The Commission has clarified, in its recent reply to European parliamentary question Number 73 H-0151/01, that tendering in relation to the ferry services off the west coast of Scotland, which are currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne, must be seen in the light of Council Regulation 3577/92. There are currently no plans to alter Article 4 of Council Regulation 3577/92. Whatever form the revision of the state aid guidelines may finally take, the principle of non-discrimination will remain and will need to be fulfilled by member states wishing to establish public service obligations.

  The Scottish Executive continues to make representations to the European Commission on a range of issues in relation to lifeline ferry services in Scotland.

Fertility Treatment

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to be able to publish the findings of the exercise being conducted to determine the extent to which health boards have implemented the recommendations contained in the report of the Expert Advisory Group on Infertility Services.

Susan Deacon: Work is still on-going, and we expect to be in a position to publish our findings in the summer.

Fisheries

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the proposals contained within the European Commission’s Green Paper on Fisheries Reform.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive welcomes the European Commission’s Green Paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy as a good basis for taking the review forward. The document appears to address many of the concerns of the Scottish fishing industry and is a reflection of the Executive’s hard work to date.

  The Executive will make a formal response to the Green Paper once we have fully consulted stakeholders.

Fisheries

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider compensation payments for fishermen who tie up their boats in order to protect stocks of juvenile haddock.

Rhona Brankin: I announced on 8 March a £27 million package of support for the industry including up to £25 million for decommissioning during the coming financial year, to bring whitefish capacity more closely into line with available fishing opportunities and help put the remainder of the fleet on a sounder financial footing for the future.

  We believe that decommissioning, coupled with a robust conservation approach, is the right approach in the interests of long-term sustainability and viability of the industry. The Executive remains opposed to a compensated tie-up scheme on the basis that it is of limited effectiveness in relation to discards and that it represents poor value for money.

  I agreed at the meeting I held with the fishing industry on 18 March to explore the scope for a modest re-balancing of the package to allocate some additional resources to the partnership between scientists and fishermen.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance has been issued to hoteliers and others involved in the tourist industry about the conduct of their guests when visiting rural areas.

Ross Finnie: The "Come Back Code" which we launched on 23 March sets out guidelines on how the public should behave in the countryside in order to minimise the risk of spreading foot-and-mouth disease. The code is widely available on websites and in tourist information offices.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Royal Zoological Society for Scotland will receive support to compensate for the voluntary closure of Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

Ross Finnie: An Economic Impact Assessment Steering Group has been set up to assess the wider element impacts arising from the present foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. The first meeting was held on 15 March and I expect an initial assessment to be available shortly. It is too early to reach any decision on compensation in individual cases.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

John Young (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what lessons have been learned from this year’s foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Ross Finnie: Our top priority is to contain and eradicate this disease. Then I feel that it is essential that an in-depth review of this devastating outbreak and the lessons to be learned from it needs to be undertaken. Meantime, consultations are under way with a view to banning the use of pigs’ swill and possibly tightening movement controls on cattle and sheep.

General Practitioners

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which GP surgeries are involved in the pilot studies into new contractual arrangements for GPs referred to in Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change , where the surgeries are located, how many GPs there are at each practice and what geographic area each covers.

Susan Deacon: The table gives the details requested:

  PMS Pilots: Scotland

  


Practice


Number of GPs


Area




Ballantrae Medical Practice


2 GPs, 1 Assistant


Ayrshire and Arran




The Crescent Medical Practice


4 GPs, 1 Registrar, 1 Assistant


Greater Glasgow




Northfield Medical Practice


4 GPs, 1 Retainee


Grampian




Skene Medical Centre


8 GPs, 1 Registrar, 1 Retainee, 2 Assistants


Grampian




Student Health Service, Aberdeen


4 GPs


Grampian




Maryhill Medical Practice


7 GPs, 1 Registrar


Grampian




Camphill Medical Practice


2 GPs


Grampian




Rhynie Medical Practice


1.5 GPs


Grampian




Portsoy Medical Group


2 GPs


Grampian




Spital Medical Practice


1.5 GPs


Grampian




The Milton Surgery


6 GPs, 2 Retainees


Lothian




The Edinburgh Homeless Practice


3 GPs


Lothian




Polwarth Surgery


1 GP, 2 Assistants, 1 Retainee


Lothian




Park Avenue Medical Practice


3 GPs, 1 Retainee


Tayside




Springfield Medical Practice


3 GPs, 1 Registrar


Western Isles

Genetically Modified Crops

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why it has not given local authorities the power to consider proposals to plant GM crop trials under the planning process and introduced a requirement for change of use permission to be sought in relation to any proposal to plant GM crops.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive considers that the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Deliberate Release Regulations 1992 (as amended) are the appropriate body of law under which to regulate such trials.

Genetically Modified Crops

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any organic farmers who lose their certification status or customers as a result of pollen contamination from field trials of genetically modified crops will be entitled to compensation and, if so, who will be liable to pay any such compensation.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive’s priority is to protect human health and the environment.

  The environmental implications of field trials of genetically modified crops are fully considered by our expert advisory bodies before consent is granted. These bodies are satisfied that there are no safety or scientific reasons why this programme should have an adverse effect on organic farming. Additionally, the separation distance which is imposed around trial sites should ensure that any cross-pollination with organic crops which does take place will be negligible and should not affect the organic status of these crops. The question of de-certification is a matter for the organic certification authorities.

  There are currently no provisions in Scots or UK law covering liability for damage caused specifically by genetically modified organisms. However, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, there are powers to prosecute a consent holder where the limitations and conditions attached to the consent are breached. Compensation would be a matter for the civil courts in determining an ordinary action brought by the affected farmer for negligent harm done to him or his business or for nuisance.

Genetically Modified Crops

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the produce from any genetically modified trial or control sites will be certified as for human or livestock consumption.

Ross Finnie: It is a condition of the deliberate release consent that the entire GM crop is destroyed and does not enter the human or animal food chain. The proportion of the control crop growing within the stipulated separation distance is also destroyed at the same time.

Genetically Modified Crops

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether monitoring of genetically modified (GM) crop trials included measurement of the dispersal of pollen from the GM crop by airborne flow, bee transfer or other means.

Ross Finnie: Pollen flow from genetically modified crops being grown as part of the farm-scale evaluations is being monitored at every site in Scotland. The monitoring is taking place within the adjacent "control" crop and at sampling points in the surrounding area.

Genetically Modified Crops

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any public consultation meetings about genetically modified crop trials will be cancelled given the current outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Ross Finnie: No. Although there is no statutory public consultation as part of the approval process for the deliberate release of GM crops, the importance of making factual information available in the vicinity of the trials is fully recognised and it was my intention to visit the area this month. However, in light of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, other methods of reaching a much wider audience than could be accommodated in public meetings have been considered. To this end I participated in a radio phone-in on Friday 16 March which enabled many local people to obtain information about what is involved and let me hear at first hand areas of concern.

Genetically Modified Crops

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive to what tests produce from recently announced farm-scale genetically modified crop trials will be subjected in order to establish their safety for human consumption or for livestock fodder.

Ross Finnie: None. The GM crop will be destroyed after harvest and will not enter the human or animal food chain. The farm-scale evaluations are designed to test whether the agricultural practices associated with growing a GM crop have an impact upon farmland biodiversity. Safety for human or animal consumption is considered separately.

  GM products intended for human or animal consumption must be approved at European level. The GM oilseed rape currently being grown in the farm-scale evaluation programme has not been granted this approval at present but has approval for release in the UK for research purposes.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what reimbursement of travel costs NHS patients receive when they are required to travel outwith their local authority health board area to take up an appointment at a private facility.

Susan Deacon: This is a matter for the relevant health board which has discretion to reimburse the travelling expenses incurred by patients referred to NHS or private hospitals outwith their health board area of residence.

Health

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11742 by Susan Deacon on 5 March 2001, who the members are of the sub-group of the Health Department’s Advisory Group on Infection.

Susan Deacon: This sub-group consists of experts from a range of disciplines, along with officials from the Scottish Executive.

Higher Education

Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what further steps will be taken to encourage more young people to stay on at school and enter higher education.

Henry McLeish: We are taking major steps to widen access for young people to higher education, particularly those from low income families: by investing £22 million over the next three years in more pilots of Education Maintenance Allowances in schools; a new student support package which will be worth more than an extra £50 million when fully implemented, and £18 million over the next three years through the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, specifically for widening access.

Hospitals

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list for each of the hospitals in the Tayside Health Board area for each of the past five years how many (a) beds were in use, (b) staff were based in the hospital pharmacy and (c) laboratory services staff were based at the hospital.

Susan Deacon: The information is not available centrally in the form requested. Information about staffed beds is available at hospital level. Information about staff numbers is available only at board and Trust level.

Justice

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3052 by Neil Davidson on 8 March 2001, what further details it can give of the 1,113 cases marked no proceedings on a time expiry basis and what steps are being taken to address the situation.

Colin Boyd QC: In almost every case the problem stems from the late reporting of the case to the Procurator Fiscal. The overwhelming majority of them are reported by agencies other than the police and the Executive has very limited powers in relation to those agencies. However, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service has been pointing out the problems of late reporting to those agencies for several years and encouraging them to aim at meeting the same targets as the police – that is, to report the offence within four to eight weeks of its commission. That advice is about to be reiterated in the latest edition of written guidance to be issued to all. The relevant time limit is, in most cases, six months. Where there is a genuine problem in meeting the time bar, reporting agencies are encouraged to consult the Procurator Fiscal before expiry of the time bar – in some circumstances the time bar has an element of flexibility if action is taken before it passes. In the last analysis, however, if the case is not reported to the Procurator Fiscal within the statutory time limit it cannot be prosecuted.

Law

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to set up community law centres similar to those operated in England and Wales.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive has set up a broadly-based working group, involving a range of interested organisations, to examine how a community legal service might be developed for Scotland. As part of its work, the group may wish to consider issues such as community law centres. The working group will report to me in October, and the Executive will consult on any policy proposals flowing from that report.

Local Government

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of Fife Council and what issues were discussed.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive regularly meets representatives of councils, including Fife Council, to discuss matters of mutual interest.

Meat

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received from the Food Standards Agency regarding any need for bans on the importation of meat from other countries to be introduced and whether it will publish any such advice, specifying the reasons for its position on this matter.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Food Standards Agency has advised that there is no need to ban importation of meat from other countries. All beef produced in the EU must be produced in accordance with EU law. Imports of any meat from outside the EU are only allowed if the European Commission has approved the meat plant as producing to standards at least equivalent to those required by European law.

  The agency does not consider that it is necessary to ban imports on risk grounds. The best available scientific advice indicates that the risks from eating imported beef and British beef are comparable, and are very small indeed. There have been recent studies carried out by Dr Christl Donnelly, of Imperial College, London. An article on French beef was published in Nature on 14 December and also a more recent study, (published 21 March) looked into risks of beef from Republic of Ireland.

Meat

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Meat Hygiene Service is able to inspect 100% of carcasses of meat imported from other countries.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Food Standards Agency advises that the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) routinely carries out random checks on all consignments of imported meat arriving at licensed cutting premises. These random checks have recently been stepped up in light of specified risk material (SRM) failures in consignments of beef from several member states.

  The agency has instructed the MHS to step up checks on imported meat and specifically to inspect every single consignment of carcass beef imported from Germany through licensed cutting plants, following the cases of beef with SRM attached. Local authorities have also been advised to step up checks on bone-in-beef and sheep meat and the health-marking of all meat in the premises they supervise.

Medical Research

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that investment in research and development in the health care sector is attracted to Scotland and encouraged to remain.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The attraction of high-level research and development activities and the strengthening of the biotechnology cluster are two of the key strategic themes currently being pursued by Locate in Scotland (LiS).

  As with all the projects that it helps attract to Scotland, LiS, through its policy of on-going Investor Support, works with these companies to ensure that they not only remain in Scotland but continue to develop their operations.

NHS Equipment

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to reduce NHS Trust and patient exposure to any unnecessary risks as a result of any lack of formal documented medical equipment training policies for staff as highlighted in the Audit Scotland Performance Audit, Equipped to care - Managing medical equipment in the NHS in Scotland .

Susan Deacon: I expect every NHS Trust in Scotland to take the necessary action to remedy any inadequacies in their policies or procedures highlighted by the Audit Scotland Performance Audit Equipped to care .

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional money will be allocated to local health care co-operatives to help development and innovation in patient care in each of the next three years.

Susan Deacon: We have stated in Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change that we intend to develop primary care services and strengthen the role of local health care co-operatives (LHCCs).

  The LHCC Best Practice Group and Audit Scotland have both reviewed the progress, to date, of LHCCs. Reports from both pieces of work are expected shortly and will, together with other related work, inform what the Executive does next on this issue.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to address the 13% vacancy rate for clinical psychologists in the NHS, as highlighted in the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education’s Annual Report 1999-2000.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (SCPMDE) monitors and funds the training of Clinical Psychologists in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Executive. SCPMDE has secured formal agreements which will guarantee a minimum of 32 training places in Scotland each year for graduate psychologists who wish to embark on the three-year training programme for clinical psychology. This represents an increase of 33% over the past five years. 90% of those trained in Scotland go on to work as clinical psychologists in NHSScotland.

  SCPMDE is working with representatives of the clinical psychology profession to consider alternative staffing models for providing psychology services for NHSScotland. However, these discussions are at an early stage.

NHS Waiting Times

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether waiting times at the Glasgow Western Infirmary are three times as long as elsewhere in Scotland and, if so, what the reasons are for this position.

Susan Deacon: Provisional figures for the year to 30 September 2000 show that the median waiting time for in-patient/day case treatment at Glasgow Western Infirmary was 28 days. This is a better performance than the corresponding all-Scotland median waiting time of 32 days. Over the same period, the median waiting time at Glasgow Western Infirmary for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant following referral was 47 days. The corresponding all-Scotland figure was 46 days.

Organ Transplants

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on whether any research is being undertaken in Scotland into xenotransplantation; whether it is currently funding any such research, and what plans it has to attract further research and any related technologies to Scotland.

Susan Deacon: Policy on xenotransplantation is a reserved matter for the UK Government.

Police

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions there have been in the last 12 months in respect of kerb-crawling in the area covered by the "E" division of Strathclyde Police.

Colin Boyd QC: Statistics kept by the Crown Office are not broken down by Police Division and the information requested is, accordingly, not available.

Prescription Charges

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients benefit from free prescriptions in Scotland and what measures are in place to help patients who require repeat prescriptions.

Susan Deacon: Around 90% of prescriptions are dispensed free of charge and pre-payment certificates are available to help non-exempt patients.

Prison Service

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what business targets it has set for the Scottish Prison Service in 2001-02.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have taken the opportunity to review the targets which I set for the Scottish Prison Service(SPS). The service’s performance in previous years has shown a continuing improvement against a series of progressively more difficult targets. However, the targets do not fully reflect the range of SPS’s work on behalf of the public. I have therefore extended their scope. The new targets are set out in the following table. They continue to ensure that there is full and proper focus on the maintenance of secure custody and good order. These are essential to ensure protection of the public, SPS staff and prisoners.

  I have enhanced and increased the targets which are set for the opportunities made available to prisoners. The target on prisoner programmes moves the focus away from simple numbers of programmes delivered and directs SPS’s efforts towards a continuing improvement in quality. I have introduced a target for education which is a key element in the correctional agenda and SPS will be required to show progress on a year-to-year basis in this important area. I have also introduced a measure of the performance in combating drugs in prisons, thus reinforcing our commitment to addressing the issue of drug abuse in Scotland.

  The slightly increased cost per prisoner place reflects the additional investment, including sums to address the drug issue, which the Executive is making in Scottish prisons. I expect SPS to make efficiency savings in revenue costs over the coming year will allow some £12.5 million to be redirected to the capital building programme.

  These new targets will measure success and ensure effective and efficient management of the SPS. They are more demanding than those set in previous years and, in order to ensure that comparison with previous years is possible, the table gives figures for previous performance in the same format as the 2001-02 targets. The outturn figures for 2000-01 are provisional and subject to confirmation.

  Scottish Prison Service

  Targets 2001-02 and Performance against Targets 1998-2001

  


The number of prisoners unlawfully at large

 

1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01 (projected)


2001-02




Category A prisoners


Target


0


0


0


0




Outturn


0


0


0


0




Category B prisoners


Target


1.7 per 1,000 cat Bs = 6


1.4 per 1,000 cat Bs = 5


1.1 per 1,000 cat Bs = 4


0.9 per 1,000 cat Bs = 3




Outturn


2


2


2

 



Category C prisoners


Target


5.2 per 1,000 cat Cs = 10


4.5 per 1,000 cat Cs = 8


3.4 per 1,000 cat Cs = 6


2.9 per 1,000 cat Cs = 5




Outturn


0


3


0

 



The number of serious assaults on staff


Target


3 per 1,000 = 14


2.8 per 1,000 = 15


2.7 per 1,000 = 141


2.7 per 1,000 = 13




Outturn


17


13


14

 



The number of serious assaults on prisoners


Target


<108


<129


<15 per 1,000 = 91


<10 per 1,000 = 56




Outturn


129


91


60

 



x programmes will be delivered of which y% will be fully 
  accredited


Target

 

850


850

 



Outturn


7972 (0%)


890 (19%)


800 (27%)


700 (50%)




Education. Number of prisoner learning hours


Target


-


-

 
 



Outturn


-3


-3


225,000


250,000




% of available prisoner places with access to night sanitation


Target


71


76


76

 



Outturn


71


75


76


78




Of those tested under random MDT procedures x% will be 
  clear of in-prison drug-use


Target

 
 
 

85




Outturn


82


85


85

 



Average annual cost per prisoner place


Target


27,904


28,761


29,500


32,6004




Outturn


26,912


28,375


28,500

 



Number of injuries reportable to the Health and Safety 
  Executive


Target

 
 

124


100




Outturn


131


112


104

 



  Notes:

  1. At current staff levels target becomes 13.

  2. Total for cognitive skills and sex offending programmes.

  3. Figures not available – previously based on teaching hours.

  4. £12.5 million revenue savings will be directed into capital investment.

Rail Network

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the decision by Strathclyde Passenger Transport not to proceed with a Glasgow north/south rail link.

Sarah Boyack: I understand that Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive have not as yet made any final recommendations to the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority on any of the options and that no decision has yet been taken.

  Any decision on whether to proceed with a Glasgow north-south rail link would be a matter for Strathclyde Passenger Transport.

Research Funding

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13867 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 14 March 2001, which year’s Research Assessment Exercise-based grant and external research income figures were used to calculate higher education institutions’ allocations from the Scottish Science Research Investment Fund.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The detail of the allocations from the Scottish Science Research Investment Fund is a matter for the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC). However, I understand that the year of the SHEFC Research Assessment Exercise-based grant used by SHEFC in calculating the Science Research Investment Fund was the current grant year 2000-01. The external research income figures used were an average of figures for 1997-98 and 1998-99, which provide the latest data available.

Residential Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to issue guidance to Glasgow City Council on their inspection rates for private residential homes which are almost twice as high as the rates for local authority and voluntary sector homes, as set out in Table 5b of the Audit Scotland Performance Indicators 1999-2000, Social Work: Comparing the performance of Scottish councils .

Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish Executive guidance, issued under section 5(1) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, indicates that it is for local authorities to determine the frequency of inspections on any establishment. Authorities are expected to undertake at least two inspections on establishments per year; however, additional visits are to be made as necessary to investigate concerns and monitor the implementation of recommendations.

Residential Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to issue guidance to the 12 local authorities who currently carry out less than two inspections a year on residential homes, as set out in Table 5b of the Audit Scotland Performance Indicators 1999-2000, Social Work: Comparing the performance of Scottish councils .

Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish Executive guidance, issued under section 5(1) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, indicates that, while it is for local authorities to determine the number of inspections per establishment, two inspections per year is the normal minimum requirement. Authorities are required to provide at least one annual comprehensive overview of the performance of each establishment.

  There are no plans to issue guidance to those authorities that carry out less than two inspections a year on residential homes. The Regulation of Care Bill proposes to set up the Commission for the Regulation of Care to replace existing registration and inspection by local authorities and health boards. This national body should become operational in April 2002 and its function will be to register and inspect all care services.

Schools

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the evaluation of new community schools will be completed.

Mr Jack McConnell: A three-year national evaluation of the New Community Schools pilot programme started in April 2000. Following a tendering and assessment process, it is being undertaken by a team from the Institute of Education in the University of London. They have research staff and specialists involved, based in Scotland. Interim evaluation reports will be provided annually. In addition, projects and authorities are carrying out their own local evaluations, and HM Inspectors of Schools will include new community schools in their inspection programme later this year.

Science

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is represented on bodies determining science strategy at a UK level.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is represented on a number of UK Science Policy Groups and Organisations. It is represented at ministerial level on the Ministerial Science Group (MSG), and at official level on both the Chief Scientific Advisor’s Committee (CSAC) and the Science and Engineering Base Co-ordinating Committee (SEBCC).

Scottish Executive Consultation

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation exercises the ministers with responsibility for culture and sport have initiated since 1 July 1999.

Allan Wilson: Consultation on the National Cultural Strategy was launched in August 1999. A consultation on  The Development Of A Policy On Architecture For Scotland was launched in September 1999. There has been no other consultation in these areas.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money was spent in each of the last two years by it and other publicly funded bodies on the production and publication of newsletters, magazines and periodicals concerning social inclusion and social justice.

Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive spent approximately £13,000 in 1999 and £20,000 in 2000 on issues of a Social Inclusion Research Bulletin, GOSSIP (the quarterly newsletter for Social Inclusion Partnerships) and a New Community Schools newsletter.

  Information on materials produced by the range of publicly funded bodies with an interest in social inclusion and social justice is not held centrally. There are a number of publicly funded organisations which produce newsletters etc. which touch on social inclusion issues without covering them in particular.

  Scottish Homes started producing a quarterly news publication Action for Social Justice in Scotland in June 2000. Three issues were produced in 2000 at a total cost of £15,435.

Smoking

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of women smoke during pregnancy according to latest available figures.

Malcolm Chisholm: Of the 55,695 maternities which resulted in a live or still birth during the year ending 31 March 1999, 26.5% of all mothers reported that they smoked during pregnancy. Of the remaining mothers, 68.2% reported that they did not smoke during pregnancy and responses are unknown for a further 5.3%.

Smoking

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any evidence on the take-up of the voluntary charter set out in Smoking Kills: A White Paper on Tobacco designed to protect employees and customers within the hospitality industry from the health risks of passive smoking.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Voluntary Charter on Smoking in Public Places was launched on 23 May 2000. It is too early to measure effectively the impact that the Charter is having. However, Charter Implementation Guides have been distributed to 20,000 businesses. A survey of the on-licensed trade businesses involved is to be undertaken in April 2001 to establish the awareness and uptake of the Charter. In addition, the Executive will be repeating its original survey (carried out by MVA), later this year.

Teacher Training

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12944 by Mr Jack McConnell on 14 February 2001, whether the attainment of Governing Body Accredited Coaching Qualifications will be recognised as continuing professional development for teachers.

Mr Jack McConnell: The framework for CPD which is currently being developed will be sufficiently flexible to meet the specific training needs of individual teachers and schools. This could include training in sports coaching and physical activity where appropriate.

Water Charges

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the increase in water and sewerage charges was for each council tax band in each water authority area in 1997 and each subsequent year and what the cumulative increase in charges in each band in each area was in each of these years, using 1997 as the base year.

Ross Finnie: The figures requested are as follows:

  





Year on year percentage change in domestic water & 
  sewerage charges, by council tax band


Percentage change from 1997-98 in domestic water & 
  sewerage charges, by council tax band







1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01


2001-02


1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01


2001-02




NoSWA




A


5%


13%


12%


44%


17%


0%


13%


26%


82%


112%




B


5%


13%


12%


44%


17%


0%


13%


26%


82%


112%




C


5%


13%


12%


44%


17%


0%


13%


26%


82%


112%




D


5%


13%


12%


44%


17%


0%


13%


26%


82%


112%




E


5%


13%


12%


44%


17%


0%


13%


26%


82%


112%




F


5%


13%


12%


44%


17%


0%


13%


26%


82%


112%




G


5%


13%


12%


44%


17%


0%


13%


26%


82%


112%




H


5%


13%


12%


44%


17%


0%


13%


26%


82%


112%




ESWA




A


13%


14%


9%


25%


19%


0%


14%


24%


55%


84%




B


13%


14%


9%


25%


19%


0%


14%


24%


55%


84%




C


13%


14%


9%


25%


19%


0%


14%


24%


55%


84%




D


13%


14%


9%


25%


19%


0%


14%


24%


55%


84%




E


13%


14%


9%


25%


19%


0%


14%


24%


55%


84%




F


13%


14%


9%


25%


19%


0%


14%


24%


55%


84%




G


13%


14%


9%


25%


19%


0%


14%


24%


55%


84%




H


13%


14%


9%


25%


19%


0%


14%


24%


55%


84%




WoSWA




A


6%


11%


10%


18%


19%


0%


11%


23%


45%


73%




B


6%


11%


10%


18%


19%


0%


11%


23%


45%


73%




C


6%


11%


10%


18%


19%


0%


11%


23%


45%


73%




D


6%


11%


10%


18%


19%


0%


11%


23%


45%


73%




E


6%


11%


10%


18%


19%


0%


11%


23%


45%


73%




F


6%


11%


10%


18%


19%


0%


11%


23%


45%


73%




G


6%


11%


10%


18%


19%


0%


11%


23%


45%


73%




H


6%


11%


10%


18%


19%


0%


11%


23%


45%


73%




  These are the charges set by the water authorities and do not therefore take account of Domestic Sewerage Relief Grant.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the specification for timber to be used for the new Parliament building includes a requirement that it be obtained from environmentally sustainable sources and whether the specification will be made publicly available.

Sir David Steel: I understand from the Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group that specifications for Holyrood building works packages which include timber state that, "all timber and timber-based materials used in the project must either be demonstrably from well managed, regulated, sustainable sources, or be suitable re-used timber re-finished to meet the quality requirements of BS EN942." The Project Team would be happy to provide relevant extracts from specific tender documents although full tender specifications are not made publicly available.

Holyrood Project

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Holyrood Project Team or the Holyrood Progress Group was asked by Bovis Lend Lease whether certified timber should be specified for the new Parliament building and, if so, what answer was given.

Sir David Steel: I understand that the procurement of timber for the Holyrood building was considered jointly by representatives of Bovis Lend Lease, the Project Team, the Design Team and the Holyrood Progress Group, taking into account advice from the Forestry Commission. The Convener of the Progress Group has informed me that all of the parties involved are satisfied that the wording agreed for the tender specifications will ensure that the timber procured will be from responsible and sustainable sources.

Holyrood Project

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Holyrood Building Project will be completed on schedule in 2002, when it is expected that MSPs will begin using the debating chamber at Holyrood and whether comments attributed to Benedetta Tagliabue, as reported in The Scotsman on 27 March 2001, are accurate.

Sir David Steel: The Convener of the Holyrood Progress Group   has confirmed to me that the Holyrood building remains on schedule for completion of construction in December 2002 and should be ready for normal parliamentary business in early 2003.   A statement issued last week by the architects, EMBT-RMJM Ltd, stated that the comments attributed to Ms Tagliabue were inaccurate and she herself confirmed this in a letter to the Secretary of the Holyrood Progress Group on 27 March.